Marwan Barghouti

Gaza City, Gaza Strip – After a four-day pause in fighting, thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in northern Gaza on ⁢Friday as the first phase of a ceasefire ⁣between Israel and Hamas commenced. The truce, brokered by ⁣Qatar, Egypt, and ⁣the United States, also includes the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held⁢ in Israeli jails.

The ceasefire began at 7 a.m. local time, and within hours, displaced Palestinians were seen⁤ walking ‌north along Salah al-Din Street, the main north-south road in Gaza, according to reports⁣ from the area. ⁣The United Nations estimates that⁣ approximately 1.7 million people – roughly 75% of Gaza’s population – have been displaced since the ⁣start of‍ the conflict on October 7.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas is to ⁣release‌ 50 hostages – women and children ⁢- over the four days. in⁣ return, Israel will release ​150 Palestinians from it’s ⁢prisons, also‌ focusing ⁤on women and children.Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and lead negotiator, confirmed​ Thursday evening that all women‍ and children held in Israeli jails would be freed.

The exchange is expected​ to begin⁣ Monday,though some officials suggest it could occur as early as Sunday night.⁤ Egyptian officials briefed on the talks and ⁢a Hamas official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

The deal also addresses the fate of hostages believed to have died in captivity. ⁣A relative of one such hostage expressed hope for the return of remains for burial.⁤ “It’s a measured sense of hope in all hostage families,” said Stephen Brisley,whose sister,Lianne Sharabi,and her two teenage daughters were ‍killed in the Oct. 7 attack. Her⁤ husband, Eli Sharabi, was released, but her brother, Yossi, is ‍believed to have died in‌ an ‌airstrike in January 2024, and⁢ the family hopes to give him a dignified burial. “We hold our hope lightly because we’ve had our hopes dashed before,” brisley told The Associated‌ Press.

The conflict began when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel ⁤on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 ⁢people and taking over 240 hostages. Israel responded wiht extensive airstrikes and a ground offensive ‍in Gaza, resulting in a significant number of Palestinian casualties. Health‍ officials in Gaza report over 13,300 Palestinians have been⁢ killed as the start⁤ of ⁣the war.

The ceasefire does not address long-term political solutions⁢ for the region.A‌ previously proposed “Trump plan” called for an open-ended Israeli military presence in Gaza ‌and an ‍internationally-led reconstruction effort, but it was firmly ‌rejected by Palestinian leadership and​ offered only vague prospects for a future Palestinian⁢ state.